And Then the World Ended
by claire83
Summary: A story following an original character in the Walking Dead universe. Eventually she will probably hook up with Daryl. Because he is lovely, and that's what all original characters should do. Eventually. Also, I suck at summaries.


**A/N-**I'm pretty sure that i don't need to be posting another story, since I seem unable to keep up with what I have going. However... I can't get this one out of my head, and my sister has me completely obsessed with Daryl. Which is odd for me. As my one true love is Obi Wan. And he is very far from a southern dude with a cross bow. But damn, Daryl is hot.

I own nothing. Yay.

Mira stood and looked at the panel van in front of her doubtfully. It was painted in a pattern reminiscent of glittery fish scales and sparkled in the sun. The level of shininess wasn't the issue that concerned her however. What concerned her was the fact that the van really didn't look like it was likely to make it all the was from New York to Memphis in one piece. There was quite a lot of rust under the sparkly paint, and there was an odor of burnt oil that enshrouded the vehicle even when it wasn't turned to look from the van to it's owner. Devon was a 21 year old art major, he was a skinny red head with bright green eyes and an incredibly expressive face.

An incredibly expressive face that currently wore a look of mock haughtiness as he read her own incredulous expression. "Are you about to insult Fiona?"

Mira raised an eyebrow at the van's improbable name, but chose not to comment on that part of the issue. "You honestly think that this… vehicle will make it all the way to Memphis? That's over a thousand miles."

Devon rolled his eyes, "I know how far it is Mir. I planned the trip. And yes, she will make it. Fiona is completely dependable." He looked at his watch and then back to Mira, "Which is more than I can say for Ry and Katie."

"You were actually expecting them to be on time? That says interesting things about your expectations and how they are not quite grounded in reality." Mira looked at him and grinned, "Which brings us back to the matter at hand. Also, I win."

Their good natured argument was cut short as Katie and Ryan finally joined them. Mira smiled and hung back by the van as Devon approached them at a strange looking trot. She wasn't really the most social of people, and that was putting things mildly. It was almost impossible though to -not- be friends with Devon when he had set his mind to becoming friends with you.

And he had been the one to do most of the heavy lifting friendship wise between the two of them. He had apparently decided during a freshman sociology class that he liked the look of her and wanted to paint her. He said that the interesting mix of Navajo and WASP style caucasian had given her a look that he had been fascinated by. He had started hounding her before class was even over. She had coolly rebuffed his attempts at friendliness, and he had taken that as a challenge. Even when he had given up on convincing her to let him paint her, he had persisted in his determination to make her his friend.

The result of his doggedness was that he was her closest friend and had been for three years.

Mira shook her head and smiled as Katie bounded over to her, the bouncy blonde was like her polar opposite she thought. Katie was petite, blonde and gorgeous. She was also bubbly, intelligent and genuinely kind. The fact that she possessed qualities beyond the appearance of blonde ditziness was what made Mira count her as an actual friend. Miranda Whitley was tall, athletic and had straight inky black hair. She also had severe angular features, a hawkish nose and absolutely no social skills. Mira was a history major, minoring in archeology. A field of study that pissed her grandparents off no small degree. That only made it more appealing.

Ryan followed Katie to the van and smiled mildly at Mira before stowing their bags in the back. He was a law student and Katie's current love sick fool. He got in the van and Mira and Katie shared a look before breaking out in giggles and getting in themselves. Katie joining Ryan in the back and Mira climbing into the front passenger seat.

Devon grinned at her and turned the key, the van coming to life with a deafening roar. Mira looked at him ruefully continuing to think that the van wasn't quite roadworthy. She looked over Devon's outfit and rolled her eyes. "You know, if we do have to stop for help in some podunk town, your outfit is liable to get us killed. You look like the freakin rhinestone cowboy."

"Hell, I'm just getting into the spirit of things." He reached into his bag and pulled out a slim bottle of whisky, handing it over to her with a grin, "Speaking of which…"

Mira grinned and took the bottle, opening it and taking a small sip before passing it back. "On to the concert of whoever the hell you think we should go see!"

Devon took the bottle and drank, "Miranda, I keep telling you. It's not about the destination. It's about the fun we have getting there." He handed the bottle back and Mira took it, glancing over her shoulder and rolling her eyes to find Katie and Ryan not in the mood for liquor.

She smiled at Devon and gave a mock toast, "Well then, to the journey." She drank and smiled as the slow burn of the whisky traveled through her system. It should be interesting anyway. A road trip to Tennessee in the heat of summer with four half drunk college students and a beat up van. Interesting.

Mira had decided that it was most definitely not interesting to be stranded on the side of the road with a beat up van, three whining college students and a hangover. She sighed as she leaned against a tree and took a deep drink of water. She stood in the shade along the side of the highway, watching Ryan try to make the van run at least as far as the next town.

Katie came to sit at the base of the tree and reached out a hand for the bottle of water. Mira handed it down and then slid to sit beside her. Mira leaned her head back and sighed heavily, "God it's hot here. Do you think Ryan can actually fix the van?"

"Hell no. He doesn't know a hammer from a screwdriver. I think he's just trying to impress me." Katie smiled as they watched Ryan fiddle around under the hood while Devon hovered at his shoulder. She took a drink and then put the cap back on the bottle. She looked over at Mira and the map she was holding. "Where do you think we are?"

"It looks like there is a town just a few miles down this highway in front of us. Dandridge." Mira sighed heavily as she got to her feet and started towards the van. "I'm thinking we should walk into town and find a mechanic."

Katie jumped to her feet and followed, "I'm comin' too. Wait up." Devon had turned to look at them as they got nearer, concern for his van apparent on his face.

Mira stopped in front of Devon and looked over Ryan's shoulder, confirming that he really didn't know what he was doing. "Look, there's a town just up the road. I'm thinking we should walk in and find a mechanic or something." She blew out a breath and looked up at the sky. "Maybe before it gets much hotter."

Devon nodded and looked back at the van. "I'll stay here with Fiona. Wait for you to get back."

Ryan stepped away from the van and wiped his hands on his pants. "I'll come with you guys."

Mira looked at the van doubtfully and back at Devon, "Are you sure you want to stay here? I drank the last bottle of water and it's hotter than hades out here."

"I'll be less miserable than you guys walking. I'm sure. Maybe I'll sleep or something. Been driving since yesterday." He smiled slightly and Mira noted that he did in fact look really tired. Devon reached up a hand and rubbed the back of his neck, looking from the van to the others. "You know I don't really have money for a mechanic Mir. It's not gonna be cheap."

"Really Dev? You know it'll be fine." She looked away from him, embarrassed as always by the fact that she could afford what others couldn't. "Don't be an ass."

Devon nodded and stepped forward to tug on her hair lightly. "Head on into town then kemo sabe. Be careful."

Mira laughed and brushed his had away, "What do you think we'll run into? Pirates?"

"Hey, this could be the start of many a horror movie. Many a porno too… But we won't go there." He grinned at her and ducked as she slapped at him. He shoved her over to where Ryan and Katie were standing and then watched as the three of them set off. He waited until they were several yards away before opening Fiona's sliding door and stretching out on one of the back seats to rest.

Katie and Mira trailed a bit behind Ryan as the three of them walked. They were laughing and giggling, causing him to look back at them suspiciously. Which only served to cause them to laugh harder. He frowned a bit and turned back around. He stopped suddenly and the girls barely missed walking right into him. He held out an arm as Katie started to ask him what was wrong and he pointed ahead them, to where there was a huddled form in the ditch beside the road.

Mira squinted and then started forward as the from seemed to shift. "Is that a person?" She noticed that Ryan and Katie were close behind her as she approached what seemed to be a man laying on the ground. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck tingle and slowed to a stop as she heard the noise coming from the huddled form. It was a strange keening noise. Very unlike what she would have expected a human to sound like. Katie stepped around her to go to him and Mira put a hand on her arm to make her stop. "Don't Katie. Something isn't right. "

Katie looked at her questioningly and then shook her head, continuing forward. "I have to try to help."

"Just be careful." Ryan and Katie moved to the man as Mira hung back a bit. She watched as Ryan turned him over and all of them pulled back in horror at what they saw.

The man's face was missing. There was just a gaping whole filled with teeth, and one eye that stared at them malevolently past a milky sheen that would indicate blindness in any normal situation. There was a moment of stillness that in the hot southern morning seemed to stretch out slowly, like taffy before the moment shattered as the man-thing lunged at Ryan and attached itself to his arm.

Mira reacted first, stepping forward and kicking the man in the head, dislodging it from Ryan and sending him spawning in the grass. The three of them stayed, staring at it and breathing heavily, Katie letting out a scream as it lurched unsteadily to it's feet again. Following the noise she had made, the man stumbled towards Katie causing her to back up in alarm. Mira was looking for a way to stop it when Ryan came up behind it with a stick and bashed it in the back of the head. The thing fell to it's knees and Ryan kept at it, hitting it in the head until it stopped moving.

The three of them stood there for a moment, breathing heavily and sharing unconsciously the fact that a man had just been beaten to death by one of them. Only… they were all reasonably sure that he hadn't been a man. Or rather… hadn't been one for some time.

Ryan broke the silence rather suddenly, looking down at the bite on his arm, then down at the man and said in a quiet voice that matched the oppressive hot and humid afternoon in a way, "That was a zombie."


End file.
